For over ten years, Upper Haight resident and community activist Susan Strolis has been organizing monthly cleanups of the Alvord Lake area, at the western end of Haight. When she started, Strolis said in an email, "the fountain had been broken and there was no water in the lakelet - only trash."
Slowly, over the years, the area started to come together. Tons of fresh plants were put in (some specifically to attract birds and butterflies), the trash got picked up, and the group's efforts even got the attention of Rec and Park—the pump was repaired, and the lake had water again.
Strolis has been steadily soliciting helpers, using sites like Nextdoor to grow an email list of Alvord Lake volunteers. She sends out a monthly reminder before each group meeting, held on the fourth Saturday of each month. The group meets at 9am and finishes by noon, and the event is sponsored by McDonald's, which supplies cookies and iced tea during its work break.
Sometimes, the group gets helpers from out of town. "The woven retaining wall and the thriving plants right near the arch of the tunnel were done by a group from Toshiba in the spring of 2014," Strolis mentioned on Nextdoor.
Strolis is hoping to rally the community to make further capital improvements in the area. Here's what she said via email:
Currently, the oak grove is fenced in to help restore the ground underneath the trees. This area needs to be revitalized with fresh plantings and pathways and stairways that might help eliminate the erosion that has been happening as a result of people scooting up and down the hill. Some of the ideas: an established pathway for pedestrians and bicyclists along Stanyan Street between JFK and Haight Street, a possible play area for toddlers to burn energy while their folks enjoy Off the Grid food, a nice place sheltered from the wind where one could enjoy said food, an enclosed dog run, the addition of a boules court, and established pathways and stairway improvements between the skateboard park and the lakelet. Action has also begun to reopen the bathroom facility in the shed off of Page Street.
This Saturday is the monthly meet-up for October. For more details, check out the Nextdoor event listing (if you're a member) or the SF Rec & Park listing (if you're not). You can also email Strolis at sstrolis [at] comcast [dot] net to be put on the list, as well a send her your ideas for improvements to the Alvord Lake area.
"Little by little, if we work together, we can make this area an active, beautiful place for the enjoyment of both the residents and tourists (who are hourly dropped off at the bus zone there)," says Strolis. Sounds lovely.
What do you think that spot needs? Take it to the comments.
